PEOPLE KEEP WRITING ABOUT HOW BAER WAS SO AFFECTED BY THE CAMPBELL TRAGEDY. BUT BAER DID PUNCH CAMPBELL FROM BEHIND AND BAER CONTINUED TO FIGHT DIRTY IN OTHER FIGHTS. BACKHANDING OPPONENTS, ETC.
He would have hit hard with any gloves on. If he had a trainer then much of the crudeness would have gone away, he actually had pretty good speed as well.
You have a point there. Baer would have benefited from being more technical of a fighter. I think Louis was too good for him. That was just a hurdle that he couldn't jump.
Baer had great physical size for the era and he had the power for any era. He was however sloppy and often unmotivated. his performance against Braddock to me was borderline shameful. He beat Schmeling which is a very good win, but he also lost to lot of guys like Risko, Loughran, Uzcudon, Schaaf. He was a good heavy with some serious flaws. Slow feet, lackadaisical approach, poor focus, terrible technique, but A plus power and a great chin. Those are two great qualities to have as a heavy.